Some current millimeter-wave systems on a printed circuit board (“PCB”) have relatively complicated structures, with many components. Among other components, such systems may have a top layer (or “lamina”) on which a microstrip and probe are printed. Other layers (or “laminas”) in such systems may have a hole therein for better radiation propagation from the probe, but the top lamina does not have such a hole. Rather, the probe sits on the top lamina at a position above the hole that extends through the lower laminas.
These current systems have several disadvantages. First, radiation propagation is degraded by the need for the radiation to propagate through the top lamina. Second, the lower layers form a waveguide structure, but the source of radiation is separated from the waveguide structure by the thickness of the top lamina, and this separation also degrades the radiation propagation. Third, these current systems are relatively difficult to manufacture. Millimeter-wave system structures that are relatively easier to manufacture would represent an improvement in the existing art.